A Melody in the Wind
by CenturyChild533
Summary: Shortly after his godfather's death, Harry finds himself opening up to a kindred soul, and finds that the pain of loss can open new doors. HPLL, takes place near the end of OotP.


Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter_ or any of the series' characters. They are all property of J.K. Rowling. This is strictly for my own entertainment and is not meant for profit.

This story essentially takes the place of Harry's encounter with Luna at the end of _Order of the Phoenix._

**A Melody in the Wind**

_By CenturyChild533_

Fog shrouded the view from the leaded glass window of Gryffindor Tower as Harry Potter stared blankly outward, perched on the windowsill with a distinct aura of melancholy surrounding him. It was Sunday evening, only two days after his encounter with Voldemort at the Department of Mysteries, and once again the raven-haired young man found himself unable to sleep. Every time his eyes closed, his mind was dominated by the same image: his godfather, Sirius Black, being struck by a flash of green light and falling backward, disappearing behind the veil inside a stone archway. Guilt overwhelmed him every time the image struck, and so Harry had gone the past two days without sleep. Ron had since given up trying to persuade his best friend to get the rest he needed, and the redhead was now snoring softly in his own four-poster bed. Harry exhaled softly and rested his forehead against the window, attempting to peer through the fog.

Harry could see very little of the grounds below, but the Black Lake was somewhat visible in the distance, its still surface like obsidian in the dim light. He could barely see the deep green of the grass, and as he squinted he could see a faint orange light flickering in the window of Hagrid's hut. Harry had not been to visit his half-giant friend since they had returned; somehow, Harry did not think that even Hagrid's cheerful disposition would be able to lift him from his current despondency. He looked on as the fog shifted, moving, pulsing as though it were its own entity. It was vaguely unsettling and left Harry with a cold sensation deep in his gut. He shuddered despite the pleasant temperature of the tower.

For what seemed like hours he stared into the miasma, until the grounds below came into clearer view. A spot of white appeared on the emerald of the grass, and Harry inspected it more intently. As he did, he noticed that it was not all white. Rather, it was a person walking onto the grounds toward the forest. He could barely make out silvery-blonde hair, and the white was coming from what he surmised to be a dress.

Harry turned away from the window and quickly put on a pair of shoes, secretly welcoming the strange happening he had just witnessed. _Who in the world would be going out at this time of night? _he wondered as he tied the laces of his sneakers tightly. Harry slipped into a t-shirt and retrieved his wand from the bedside table, slipping the holly rod into the pocket of his pajama pants. He opened his trunk as quietly as he could, wincing at the creak of the hinges and watching as Ron rolled over in his sleep. Once he was confident that his friend had not been roused by the noise, Harry extracted his invisibility cloak and slipped it around his shoulders and over his head then descended the staircase and slipped out of the portrait hole.

Harry walked briskly but silently as he crept along the hallways of the castle toward the staircases. It felt like it had been far too long since he had been on one of these nighttime sojourns without some greater purpose, and the triviality of it helped him to take his mind off of his greater troubles. Harry took the steps of the marble staircases one at a time, pausing at each stationary ledge to make sure his presence remained unnoticed. At last, he reached the ground level, walking out of the archway into the cool night. He took a deep breath, the crisp scent of fresh air filling him with a sense of serenity that he had seldom felt, especially recently. It was fleeting, but it was a start. Harry crossed the courtyard and stepped onto the grounds, treading the familiar path to Hagrid's hut and the Forbidden Forest. The lights in the hut were on, and a column of smoke belched from the chimney, a wispy gray set against the midnight blue of the sky. Harry expected that Hagrid was likely enjoying a late night cup of tea before settling in.

The raven-haired young man looked to where he had seen the late-night interloper, finding, much to his surprise, that the person was still there. Harry descended the slope and passed by Hagrid's hut, walking toward the field where the white-clothed figure stood. As Harry drew near, he took even greater care to remain unnoticed. To his mild aggravation, the figure moved as he approached, heading toward the edge of the forest and finally disappearing into the trees. Harry frowned slightly and followed, picking up speed in order to catch up with his target. Soon, he came close enough to figure out who he was following:

Luna Lovegood, wearing a long white nightdress and resolutely walking barefoot. Harry crept silently alongside her and noticed that she was no longer wearing her traditional necklace of butterbeer corks, but her wand was still perched behind one ear, and she was still wearing her radish shaped earrings. In her hands she carried a small mahogany box, firmly but delicately clasped in her grip. Luna had roughly the same facial expression she had every time that Harry had seen her, her gray-blue eyes wide and a small, carefree smile on her lips. She walked with a sense of purpose, as though this path were one she had taken many times before.

Harry was confused by Luna's presence. _What in the world is she doing out here so late? And why isn't she wearing shoes? _He did not have time to contemplate these questions, as Luna turned suddenly and Harry was forced to quickly sidestep to avoid colliding with the girl. He stopped moving and paused to think. He had discovered who was outside in the middle of the night, so why was he still following Luna into the forest? The answer came to him as quickly as the question: nothing Luna ever did was ordinary. Something about that fact intrigued Harry and was urging him to find out what purpose the girl had in the forest. Resigning himself to the fact that he had nothing better to do (he surely was not going to be able to sleep), he continued onward, following behind the mysterious Ravenclaw.

Harry watched questioningly as Luna continued onward and stopped at a hole in the ground about six feet wide. She stopped for a moment, peering into it reached solid ground. She moved into the hole, disappearing into the cavern as though descending a staircase. Harry's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked down into the black. Seeing nothing, he shrugged and hesitantly stepped into the hole. He felt solid stone under his foot and took a few more timid steps downward, finding firm ground under his foot each time until finally he stood in total darkness.

"_Lumos,_" Harry heard Luna whisper, her pleasant, bell-like voice resonating off of the cave walls as a white light appeared in front of him, and he realized that due to his lack of sight, he had ended up much closer to her than he had planned. He stepped back quickly but not before taking a sharp but silent breath, the light fragrance of vanilla taking control of his senses for a moment. Fleetingly, Harry wondered if that was perfume or the girl's natural scent.

Luna continued onward, and Harry followed, keeping the light from her wand tip in sight as they ventured into the cave. The pair took a left turn, and then suddenly, Luna stopped. She turned around and smiled a little wider. "Hello, Harry."

Harry's eyes widened in shock. Deciding that it would be idiotic to pretend he was not there, he removed the invisibility cloak from his head. "How did you know I was here?" he asked, genuinely flabbergasted.

"I thought I heard footsteps when I first came in here. And I could hear you breathing just now."

Harry removed the invisibility cloak the rest of the way, tucking the silvery garment under his arm. "You must have really good hearing. I was trying really hard to be quiet."

Luna shrugged noncommittally. "It's always very quiet when I come down here. I notice anything unusual."

Something about hearing Luna describe something as unusual struck Harry as rather ironic, and he smiled.

"Why are you following me, Harry Potter?" the girl asked as she resumed her expedition, walking backwards in order to face her newly acquired companion.

Harry was silent for a few moments, not knowing how to respond. He fidgeted under Luna's curious, penetrating gaze, though he was not entirely sure why. "I was sitting on the windowsill, and I saw you out here. I didn't know it was you, so I came out here to investigate. I'm… really not sure why," he admitted.

To his surprise, Luna smiled. "Oh."

Harry raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "You're not mad?"

She shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing as she did so. "No. Why would I be?"

Again, Harry hesitated, idly scratching the back of his neck. "I don't know."

Luna shrugged again and returned to her trek into the cave. "I suppose some people would be. I don't mind." Harry followed her as she talked. "This is one of my favorite places. I found it in my second year. I come down here sometimes to see the cave faeries."

Knowing about Luna's penchant for unusual creatures, Harry refrained from asking questions. After a moment, the cave opened up into a larger expanse, a pool of clear water in the center of the hollow. Harry received a shock when he noticed small shapes glowing a faint blue above the surface of the water, causing the surface of the liquid to shimmer merrily. As he inspected the mysterious objects closer, Harry saw them to be humanoid, with tiny wings on their backs. _Cave faeries, _he thought with a slight sense of wonder. _One of Luna's creatures, right there in front of me. Maybe she's not totally insane. _

Luna walked along the water's edge, trailing one toe in the pool and sending ripples along the surface. When the ripples reached the small cloud of sprites, they scattered for a moment and then regrouped in their previous position. Luna faced Harry and explained, "They like having people here. I do that to let them know."

Harry nodded. "So you've been coming here since your second year?"

Luna nodded. "I found it when I came into the forest with some other students." She knelt at the edge of the water. "They told me they'd found a nest of Nargles in the forest, and they wanted me to take a look at it since I knew so much about them." She sighed. "It turned out they were playing a joke on me. They led me out here and then went back to the castle. I got lost."

Harry looked incredulous. "That's awful! Why would they do something like that?"

Luna shrugged. "People can be mean. Most people think I'm crazy." She continued with her story. "When I was trying to find my way back, I fell down the hole and ended up in here. I don't think anyone else knows about it… except you now, of course." Luna looked at the small mahogany box and rested a hand on it. "I don't want to open this in the common room, so I bring it down here."

Harry took a seat on a good-sized rock behind him. "What is that?"

Luna looked at Harry then at the box, pausing as if to contemplate whether she wanted to tell him or not. Finally, instead of providing a spoken explanation, she opened the box. When she did, Harry could hear a slow, almost mournful sounding tune coming from the object. Harry took a few steps closer and sat next to Luna in front of it, inspecting it closer as he listened to the strange melody. In the center of the lid's underside, there was a small photograph of a woman who looked very much like Luna might in her mid-thirties. She had fine, straight hair that came to her shoulders, the same shade of blonde as Luna's, and the same wide eyes and small mysterious smile. Her eyes were a deep shade of brown, though, giving her a warm, deep gaze that truly made the image come alive. The woman waved to them from inside her frame, and Luna gave a small wave in return.

Harry understood. "Is this… your mother?"

Luna nodded. "Yes. But I'm afraid she's dead now."

"Do you mind if I ask… what happened?"

Luna shook her head. "No, I don't mind. She was killed when I was very young. She was a quite extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment, and one of her spells went rather horribly wrong one day. I was nine."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, sincerely. "Were you…"

"There?"

Harry looked back at the box. "Is that's why you can see the thestrals?"

"Yes. They're quite misunderstood creatures. They're not vicious or mean… unless you make them angry."

"Well," Harry said with a smile, "everyone gets angry." He said this without truly thinking, and then his smile faded as he remembered the way he had behaved in Dumbledore's office the day before. He remembered the blind rage, the primal satisfaction he had felt as he had torn the headmaster's office apart, screaming at the man who until recently he had considered a father figure. No, he still _did _consider Dumbledore a father figure, and more than ever before, Harry realized he had acted like a petulant child.

Luna noticed the shift in his demeanor. "That man the Death Eaters killed was your godfather, wasn't he?" she asked serenely, her voice oddly comforting. When Harry gave her a perplexed glance, Luna explained, "Ginny told me."

Harry nodded in response. "Yeah, he was." Strangely, he found that his earlier aversion to discussing Sirius's death had left him. He had a feeling that Luna would be the last person to judge him, and that comforted him enough to open up.

"Well," Luna said as she rested a hand on Harry's shoulder, "don't worry. It's not as though you'll never see him again."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"You heard them. Didn't you? The voices behind the veil."

Harry did remember. In the Department of Mysteries, he had heard a strange murmuring coming from the archway into which Sirius had fallen and vanished. He also remembered that Luna was the only other person in the room who had heard the voices. "Luna," Harry began, then paused, unsure if he should ask his question or not. Going for broke, he continued, "What was behind that veil?"

Luna's gaze drifted to the picture in the music box, and her hand slowly rested upon the mahogany lid and closed it, sending the cavern into an eerie silence before she responded. "Some people would call it Heaven, I suppose. But there is no way to know for certain unless you've been there."

Harry was confused by her reply. "Heaven?"

"I don't pretend to know, Harry. Some things aren't meant to be known for certain. Mysteries are what keep us going. They give us something to look for, because if we knew everything, why should we go on living?"

Harry contemplated her words. "I guess you're right." He looked into Luna's silvery eyes before speaking. "Thank you."

The young Ravenclaw smiled brightly. "You're welcome."

They sat there in silence for a long while, and as they did, Harry began to wonder exactly what he was supposed to do now. He now knew that he was destined to defeat Voldemort or die trying, but what exactly was he supposed to _do_? Despite his doubts, Harry knew that he _had _to find a way. The fate of his whole world, everyone he knew, hinged upon his efforts. But it seemed like such a desperate, even hopeless errand that he wished the burden had fallen to someone else. Harry hated himself for that thought; this destiny was not something he would wish on his worst enemy. He sighed. Every time he thought about it, the situation seemed direr.

Just as he was beginning to get lost in his thoughts, Harry heard the same simple, somber melody from before. He looked and saw Luna holding the music box in her lap, her eyes closed as she listened to the tune. She seemed happy enough, but Harry could not help but be confused. "Luna, can I ask you something?" It seemed he was full of things to ask the strange girl.

"Yes?" she said, her eyes fluttering open at the sound of his voice.

"That song… it seems so sad."

Luna looked at him curiously. "That's not a question, Harry."

It was all he could do to keep from laughing. "No, I mean… why does it make you so happy?"

Luna looked into the music box, at the photo that continued to smile at her. "Because it was what my mother used to sing to me at night. When she died, my father made this so I would remember her and the song she used to sing."

Luna cleared her throat lightly and sang, her soft voice echoing melodiously off of the cave walls as she sang in time with the music box's eerie melody.

Harry smiled at Luna's nostalgic expression as she sang, enjoying the sound of her voice. As he watched her silently, it struck him just how beautiful she really was. Her bright blue eyes, shining blonde hair, and the faint scent of vanilla that he was again beginning to notice all suddenly became more apparent, and Harry quickly found himself entranced. It took him a moment, therefore, to notice that she had stopped singing and was now staring at him intently, her expression akin to one of a small child carefully scrutinizing a line of ants. Harry blushed and averted his gaze. Luna just smiled and closed the music box. "We had better go," she said, bringing herself to her feet. "It's growing late."

Harry nodded, having lost track of the time that they had been down there. "You're right." He stood up and followed behind Luna as she pulled her wand from behind her ear and ignited the tip, lighting the way.

"Wait," Harry said, a thought striking him as they came out of the cave into the Forbidden Forest. "Here," he said, spreading the invisibility cloak. "I don't want you getting in trouble for being out of bed after hours."

Luna smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Harry." Since she was shorter than he was she stood in front of him as he threw the cloak around them, preventing them from being discovered. Unfortunately for Harry, he had neglected to take into account how close he would be to the cloak's other occupant. For a moment, he found himself unable to move, but he forced his muscles to respond to his commands, and the pair moved out of the forest and onto the grounds. They passed by Hagrid's hut, the windows now dark and the chimney dormant, and continued to the slope that would lead them back into the castle. The scent of vanilla was now clouding his senses, making it difficult to think clearly, and occasionally Harry's arm would brush hers, her soft skin sending goose bumps over his body. Luna, on the other hand, did not seem uncomfortable with the proximity. Quite the contrary, as Harry noticed that her breathing had become deep and even, and if they had not been walking he would have sworn the girl had fallen asleep. He smiled, his initial apprehensiveness fading, and he began to enjoy the closeness.

Sadly, it did not last. They came to a branch in the hallways, and Luna stopped. "Ravenclaw Tower is this way," she whispered.

Harry looked around, assessing his current surroundings. "Gryffindor is this way, he said, pointing in the opposite direction.

Luna nodded in understanding. Quickly, so as not to activate the melody, she opened the music box and removed the small photograph within it, then closed the lid. She extended the small box to Harry. "Here. Take this with you."

Harry's eyes widened. "No, no, Luna, I couldn't."

"It's all right," the girl said with a smile. "It's always made me feel better. Maybe it will help you too." The look in her eyes was practically begging Harry to take her most prized possession.

Afraid to hurt her feelings and deeply flattered by the gesture, Harry accepted the music box. "Thank you… I tell you what. When I see you next year, I'll give it back to you, okay?"

Luna nodded. "All right." Harry turned to go, but she spoke again. "Harry?"

Harry turned to face her, and Luna hesitated but a moment before stepped forward and gently pressing her lips to his. Harry, surprised at first, inclined his head to allow her more access to his mouth, and placed a careful arm around her waist. She broke away (all too soon in Harry's opinion) and looked into his eyes. "Feel better. Okay?" When Harry nodded in response, Luna gave him one final smile and slipped out from underneath the invisibility cloak, disappearing down the corridor on the way back to her common room.

Harry stood rooted to the spot for several moments, dumbfounded by Luna's parting gifts, the second one in particular. _Did Luna really just… kiss me? _His fingers touched his lips gently as he remembered that intoxicating scent and the slight taste that she had left behind. Shaking himself from his trance, Harry set off for Gryffindor Tower, once again setting his mind on the task of not being found. Once he arrived, the Fat Lady was waiting for him.

"What do you think you're doing out of bed?" the woman in the portrait accosted him, suppressing a yawn in order to maintain her air of superiority.

"Sorry," Harry muttered but did not provide an actual answer to her inquiry. "_Kennwort,_" he said quickly and climbed inside the portrait hole that led into the common room. He climbed the staircase up to the boy's dormitory and folded his invisibility cloak, putting it back into his trunk carefully. Harry sat down on the edge of his four-poster and looked at the wooden box in his hands. He had not noticed before, but the box was covered in light carvings of intricate runes that he did not recognize. Carefully, he opened the lid and listened to the melody that emanated from the box.

This time, it did not sound so somber. It made him think of that evening and Luna's parting words.

_"Feel better, okay?"_

Harry smiled. It _did _make him feel better.

( 0 0 0 )

The usual hustle and bustle had once again overtaken the platform leading to the Hogwarts Express as the students prepared for their journey home. Harry watched the crowds from the inside of the crimson steam engine, having already loaded his belongings and found a seat. He had said his goodbyes to Hagrid, feeling rather guilty about his standoffish behavior during their encounter a few days ago. At that moment, though, his thoughts were on Luna and the night before. Unconsciously, his index finger trailed over his lips, remembering the tender kiss for about the tenth time that morning. He could not seem to drive the girl from his thoughts and was not sure that he wanted to. Somehow, a girl that he had known for less than a year had managed to do what his two best friends in the world could not: comfort him in his moment of need. They had tried, of course, but something about Luna had allowed him to talk openly about the source of his pain in a way he had never experienced before. _I guess it's because we've both felt the same thing, _he thought to himself. _I mean, everyone's had relatives die, but… having one murdered in front of you? That's not common at all. _

Harry turned away from the window and rested his head on the back of the seat, staring at the ceiling of the train compartment. His thoughts drifted to the music box, and he placed his hand on its surface as it sat next to him. For some inexplicable reason, Harry had not felt comfortable leaving it with the rest of his luggage and had elected to carry it with him on the train.

Just in case, he had told himself.

The compartment door slid open, and Ron and Hermione entered, taking the seat opposite Harry. "Morning, Harry," Ron said as he sunk into the seat comfortably. "When did you get here?"

"A little while ago," Harry replied. "I… didn't sleep that well, so I was up early."

His friends nodded, not bothering to ask why he had not slept well. Hermione's eyes rested on the music box. "What's that, Harry?" she asked, her curious nature getting the better of her.

Harry instinctively put his hand on the music box again. "Oh, this? It's…" He hesitated, trying to come up with an explanation. "It's a music box," he finally admitted.

"A music box?" Ron asked. "Where did you get one of those?"

Harry said nothing, not really wanting to tell Ron where the gift had come from. Ron shrugged, deciding that it did not really warrant further investigation, and Hermione took Harry's silence in its intended form: he had something he did not want to talk about. Luckily for Harry, his bookish friend's inquisitive nature restricted her from invading his privacy, and she did not inquire further.

Once all the students had boarded, the Hogwarts Express left the station, beginning its journey back to Platform 9¾. After a while, Hermione and Ron left the compartment to perform their prefect duties, and Harry was once again alone with his thoughts. Since the door was closed, he opened the music box and placed it next to him, allowing the smooth and somber tune to wash over him. His eyes drifted shut, and he tried to recapture every second of the previous night in greater detail. Harry became so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice the compartment door open.

"Hello again, Harry."

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin, his eyes wide as he turned to find Luna sitting next to him. She was dressed in her normal robes, her usual radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace present and her wand tucked safely behind her ear. She giggled at his reaction as Harry attempted to dislodge his heart from his throat. "When did you get here?" he asked when he finally became capable of speech.

"Just now," she said, and she looked down at the music box and smiled. "Is it working?"

"Yeah," Harry said, understanding what she meant, "it's working perfectly."

Luna smiled, her eyes twinkling for a moment, causing Harry to lose himself in their pale blue depths. "I'm glad. Smiling suits you better than frowning."

"I just hope it works this summer," Harry groaned, having momentarily forgotten that he would once again be going back to the Dursley's for the summer. "The Muggles I live with always give me hell."

Luna frowned slightly. "Why?"

"They hate me. Well, they hate anything to do with magic, really. They usually refuse to admit we're related."

Luna frowned, something Harry had only seen her do once before. "That's awful. I'm sorry."

Harry shrugged. "I got used to it. Living with someone for fifteen years does that."

"But still… for someone to treat their family like that, it's…" She trailed off, apparently unable to think of a cruel enough adjective without resorting to something vulgar.

"Besides," Harry continued, "I've got friends here, and they're all the family I need."

Luna met his gaze and smiled. "It's an honor to be your friend, Harry Potter," she said dreamily, her eyes meeting his.

"Likewise," Harry said, returning her smile.

"Well, I had best be going," Luna said as she got to her feet. "I left my newspaper in the other compartment, and there is an article in it about Nargles that I'm simply aching to read." Luna placed a soft hand on his shoulder and kissed him gently. It was shorter than their last but left Harry with the same dazed feeling and expression to match. Luna slid the compartment door opened and waved. "See you next year, Harry." With that, she closed the door behind her and disappeared.

Harry smiled, and stretched out across the compartment, resting his legs on the adjacent seat and letting the gentle melody of the music box enthrall his senses. The presence of the music box felt oddly comforting, as though Luna were reaching through her possession to serenade him. He smiled at the thought. _With any luck, _he thought, _this summer will actually be tolerable for once._

At least he'd have his memories—and Luna's music box—to keep him company.

_( 0 0 0 )_

Author's Notes: I can't believe I wrote this whole thing in _one freaking day. _This story is kind of a random thought that popped into my head a few days ago and took up residence. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. Depending on the reviewer response, I may continue it through the events of _Half-Blood Prince._

The song the music box plays is, in fact, based on a real song (the one I was listening to as I wrote the story.) It's "Spieluhr" by Rammstein. Go find it. This I command.

Prereading credit goes to Scout.

Fun Trivia Note: the password Harry uses to get into Gryffindor Tower, _Kennwort, _is German for… password. 


End file.
